Questions remain after Wayland fire death

The death last week of an elderly Wayland man in a fire at his debris-filled home is spurring questions about what cities and towns can and should do to help people who are living in apparent squalor.

By Joe O'Connell/Daily News staff

MetroWest Daily News, Framingham, MA

By Joe O'Connell/Daily News staff

Posted Mar. 11, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Mar 11, 2012 at 11:05 AM

By Joe O'Connell/Daily News staff

Posted Mar. 11, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Mar 11, 2012 at 11:05 AM

WAYLAND

» Social News

The death last week of an elderly Wayland man in a fire at his debris-filled home is spurring questions about what cities and towns can and should do to help people who are living in apparent squalor.

Joseph Kozlowski, 85, died in a fire at his Gage Road home March 2. The house was filled with trash and other debris, had no running water and many broken windows. Fire officials believe the fire was started by an extension cord that overheated because it was covered with junk.

The biggest hurdle public health, emergency personnel and Council on Aging officials said they face when it comes to neglected people, and hoarders, is if the person doesn’t want help.

“It is not easy to help someone if they don’t want to be helped,” said Joanne Duffy, Ashland’s Elder Services director. “People are adults and have certain rights.”

Wayland town officials refused to comment on Kozlowski’s situation. Calls to Town Administrator Frederic Turkington and Council on Aging Director Julie Secord were not returned by press time.

Wayland Fire Chief Vincent Smith, who agreed to speak in general terms, said emergency personnel aren’t made aware of living situations like Kozlowski’s until they arrive at the home on an emergency call.

“If there is anything that looks to us like an elderly person is being abused or neglected, we have an obligation to report it, and we do,” said Smith.

Officials from MetroWest and Milford area towns offered perspective on the steps taken when dealing with troubled residents.

Typically, authorities aren’t aware of the needy until they are notified by concerned friends or family members.

Once they are, Council on Aging will contact the person to see if they need help. Depending on the person’s living condition and degree of need, elder protective services would be contacted.

If there is any chance the person’s living habit affects neighbors, the Board of Health would be contacted.

“We try to get them, if we can, to maintain their residency, and provide support,” said Robert Landry, administrator of the Marlborough Board of Health. “What I have done professionally is make sure we deal with these people in a respectful way, understanding they are not always to blame.”

The compulsion to hoard doesn’t develop over night, officials say. The habit builds for many years, and takes a long time to resolve.

“If a hoarder doesn’t buy into it, they are going to re-hoard, and it is going to be worse,” said Ethan Mascoop, Framingham’s Board of Health director. “This stuff might be junk in our eyes, but it’s not in theirs.”

Because Wayland officials refused to comment on the case, it is unknown at this time which town departments visited Kozlowski and for what reason.

Page 2 of 2 - However, the town has dealt with him in the past. Records from the Middlesex County Registry of Deeds show between 2001 and 2010, Kozlowski did not pay certain bills and taxes.

Between 2001 and 2003, Kozlowski owed the town of Wayland $7,441 in taxes and water liens.

And in May 2005, he owed NStar Electric $16,405.

At the time of the fire, the Gage Road home did have electricity, but no water.

According to state law, a water company can shut off water to a house if a customer hasn’t paid his or her bills.

Calls to Wayland DPW Director Don Ouellette were not returned by press time.

While it is legal to turn the water off to a home, area water officials said they try to avoid it.

“We don’t turn people’s water off,” said Natick DPW Director Bill Chenard. “If it’s for an unpaid bill, we put a lien on the property. It is extremely difficult to turn off water to a residence.”

Holliston Water Superintendent Ronald Sharpin said if people are behind on their water bill, the Water Department will create a payment plan to help them.

Milford Water Company Manager David Condrey said the town has shut down water for nonpayment, but most of the time, people pay before it gets to that point.

“We do everything we can to collect those monies,” said Condrey.

(Joe O’Connell can be reached at 508-626-3957 or joconnell@wickedlocal.com.)